Green politics

Green politics is a body of political ideas with the common theme of protecting the natural environment. It is considered by its advocates to be an alternative to both left and right views and parties, although adherents to both views tend to view Greens as "on the other side". These views are complex and contradictory, but certainly it is true that Green parties advocate measures that appear to conventional politicians to appeal to, or repel, different groups than those conventionally grouped into "left" (or "labour") and "right" (or "capital") by economic interests.

a cessation of all taxes levied against strictly local production and trade - a position shared only by some advocates of Libertarianism

local and moral purchasing provisions for government especially, requiring the source of supply to follow similar environmental and labour standards as those prevailing in the consuming jurisdiction - a position usually associated with liberal religious groups, pacifists, and left-feminism

an end to biological forms of pollution and human health damage via the subsidy of dairy farming and the meat industry - a position that cuts against the tendency of both left and right to support family farms without limit or conditions

treating waste as a resource - a commodification of something often seen as public, and thus a right-wing view

investing heavily in human capital - usually a left wing position when done by the public sector, and a right wing one if the investment is via the private sector

accounting reform that would probably disadvantage both labour and large investors in favor of small investors, customers, and the public at large - more of a left wing position but not considered as a key issue by most left parties

urban secession by major cities to permit them to shake off control of the suburbs and renew their economies in ways that they cannot do if they require the permission of their surrounding regions, e.g. to tax, ban cars in downtowns, or put money in mass transit instead of highways - this view is usually more associated with Libertarianism and extreme decentralization movements of both left and right.

bioregional democracy reflecting ecological boundaries in politics directly - a scale which tends to be smaller than existing nation-states, and thus is a de facto secession movement, favored more by left than right in modern times, although historically the right wing was often defined by ethnic and tribal identities.

Because it lacks clear identification with powerful interest groups, and tends to appeal more to a world-view or mindset, Green politics tends to grow slowly but also not to easily lose ground to other views or parties over time. In developed nations Greens have typically stood at 3-12% of the vote for long periods of time without making breakthroughs, usually participating in government as a minority partner, or working at municipal or regional levels. Most Greens reject radical centrist politics though there is a strong overlap between that perspective and what is occasionally referred to as the "realist" wing of the Greens.

Green politics is usually said to include the green anarchism, eco-anarchism, anti-nuclear and peace movements - although these often claim not to be aligned with any party. Some claim it also includes feminism, pacifism and the animal rights movements. Most Greens support special policy measures to empower women, especially mothers; to oppose war and de-escalate conflicts and stop proliferating technologies useful in conflict or likely to lead to conflict, and such unusual measures as Great Ape personhood to end ape genocide, which they see as akin to genocide of primitive human populations, e.g. Stone Age Amazon tribes.